Self-leveling table.



M. PLORENZ.

SELF LEVELING TABLE. APPLICATION TILED APR. 9, 1910'.

969,614. 4 Patented Se'pt.6,110.

MATTHIAS FLORENZ, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-LEVELI'NG TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1.91.0.

Application filed April 9, 1910. Serial No. 554,413.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known tha I, Ma'r'rnras Fnoasnz, a citizen of the United States of An'icrica, residing at Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Self-Leveling Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to self-leveling tables, and has for an object to provide a structure wherein positive means are employed for maintaining a constant levelof the table top regardless ofthe inclination of the support for the table.

In the drawing, forming a portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views:'Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved table. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the support for the table at an inclination to the table top. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

My improved table is designed particularly for use upon ocean liners or other movable vehicles, and as illustrated, thesaid table consists of the companion frames 1 and 2- which are connected with each other by brace members 3. The frames 1 and 2 are formed to )rovidc feet & whichmay be bolted or otherwise suit-ably secured to the support A. The frames 1 and 2 are each provided with a. pair of upwardly extending arms (3 which receive the depending pairs of arms 7 upon companion members 8 and 9. 'Ihese companion members are formed to provide flanges 10 with which are engaged clai'nping devices ll. These lTltll'llJClS are -Formed -to provide aslilbstantially semisphcrical passage 12 whose walls are forn'ied to provide runwz'tys 13 for the 'ai'itifriction bodies 14.. 'lhesc runways are disposed sub stantially in su'perim 'iosed relation and they are so constructed that the balls 1'11 one runway are out of: contact with-the balls in the adjacent runway, obviating mutilation to the balls and prcveirting the device from becoming inoperative. These ant-ifrictlon bodies extend into the passage 12 For a slight distance to support the spherical head member 15 secured to aw dopcmlig from the table top 16, suitable fastening devices 17 being employed for securing the table top to the top of the spherical member 15.

The spherical member is formed to pro vide a vertical passage 1.8 through which extends a rod 19. Thls rod isprovided at its upper end with a flange 20 which is countersunk in the table top at the center thereof. The rod is threaded at its lower end for the 1'6C0)tl011 of a. nut 21 which is located direct y beneath a eounterbalancing weight 22 on the rod, the said weight being provided for the purpose of holding the table to perfectly level regardless of the inclination of the support A.

- The table herein described may be used as an ordinary table upon ocean liners or the like, but as illustrated, the top supports a carriage 23 on which is mounted a gun 24:, it being the particular objept of the' invention to provide novel and positivemeans for holding the gun perfectly leve regardless of the inclination of the support A indicatcd and may represent the deck of a ship.

Incident to the peculiar arrangement and combination of devices the table 16 can be located horizontally to enable the gunner ,to obtain any desired position of the gun.

-I claim: i

l. A self-leveling table comprising companion frames, companion members so ported by the framesand formed to provi e a substantially spherical passage, antifric tion bodies, the said members having their walls formed to provide circular r'mways 'ivhich are arrangd substantially in superimposed relation, the said antifriction bodies being those of one series'being out of contact with those of the other series through the arrangement of such rumvays, a substantially spherical member bearing against the'said antifriction bodies and extending entirely into the said passage formed by the companion a'neiiibers, a table top supported by the spherical member, a rod extendin through the top and through the spherica member, and a weight carried by the rod.

2. In a self-lcvcling table, a member having a. substanl ially spherical passage therein, the said passage having its walls formed to mounted in the said runways and.

provide spaced mnnlar runways,- antifricpoint beneath the said substantially spher- 0 tion bodies mounted in the rumvays, a su b- ,1 ical member. r I stantially-sphrical member mounted in the Tntestil'nofiy whereof Iiaffix mysignature passage ofthle said lfirsb mie'n'iber, a tahlle in presence of two witnesses.

5 top su porter by t-1e sah Sllbbll'ntlltifll y r spheric l mgmber, a.r0d suppwted by bh e bhnhhN/J' top and eXt-mding through the said snbstan- Witnesses:

tially 'spheriqal member, and a Weight sup- JOHN KLEIN, ported by the rpd and locatedthereon at a ANTON WENZO. 

